Moving figured amusement device



.DGC. 21, GLASS r AL MOVING FIGURED AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 22, 1951 In uentors Marvin 1. Glass John 14/, Ehemann 1954 M. l. GLASS ET AL MOVING FIGURE 1D AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1951 Inventors Marvin I. Glass John 11/. Ehemarm any.

MOVING FIGURED AMUSEMENT DEVICE Marvin I. Glass and John W. Ehemann, Chicago, Ill. Application May 22, 1951, Serial No. 227,698 2 Claims. (Cl. 46-119) Our invention relates to an animated novelty and amusement device and more particularly, to a device which may be animated upon the application thereto of heat, such as produced from a burning cigarette, cigar or the like.

One of the objects of our invention is the provision of an animated novelty and amusement device which may be embodied in a smokers ash tray construction and which may be actuated by the heat generated from a burning cigarette or cigar to produce an action which though seemingly mysterious is highly amusing and entertaining.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a novelty and amusement device having male and female figurines, one of which figurines, by the heat from a burning cigarette, cigar or the like, may be caused to move to a position with respect to the other figurine simulating the action of kissing during the continued application of heat. The said figurine, upon cooling of the operative means, returns to its normal former position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view with the figurines in normal position.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in cross section taken on lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view with the bottom cover removed.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in cross section, showing the normal position of the parts in full lines, and the movement of the parts in dotted lines.

Fig. 7 is a view taken on lines 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 88 of Fig. 6, and

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on lines 9--9 of Fig. 6.

The invention is particularly adapted for embodiment in a smokers ash tray or ash receptacle since a source of heat resulting from the burning of cigarettes, cigars and the like, is present to actuate the device to produce a mysterious, novel and entertaining action.

Referring to the drawings, our invention comprises a hollow heart shaped base 10 having a dished portion 11 serving as an ash tray in the conventional manner. A figurine generally indicated at 12 is suitably mounted on or secured to the rear portion of the base so as to appear as an integral part thereof.

Projecting downwardly from the top wall of the base are a pair of spaced lugs 13 perforated to receive a pin 14 on which is pivotally supported a movable member generally indicated at 15 presently to be described. The movable member is shaped substantially as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and includes a lower pierced portion 16, received between the lugs 13. The upper portion 17 is substantially flat and supports thereon a figurine generally indicated at 18 which projects through a suitable opening 19 formed in the top of the ash tray. The fiat upper portion 17 projects rearwardly as at 20 to form an edge portion to engage the underside of the top wall 21 of the ash tray to limit the upward movement of the movable member 15. Said edge portion 20 is also United States Patent 0 2,697,301 Patented Dec. 21, 1954 2 engaged by the bimetallic actuating member presently to be described.

Formed in the side wall 22 of the base is an opening 23 large enough to accommodate a cigarette or cigar 24. Suitably anchored as at 25 to the underside of the top wall 21 and in direct alignment with opening 23 is a thermally responsive bimetallic element 26 in the form of a cantilever which forms the actuating member, the free end of which engages with the edge portion 20 of the movable member. The actuating bimetallic element 26 normally assumes a horizontal position and maintains the movable member 15 in elevated position with the figurine 18 in a substantially vertical position as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and in solid lines in Fig. 6.

Removably secured within the hollow base is a rectangularly shaped receptacle member preferably made of metal and generally indicated at 27 which is positioned in direct alignment with opening 23 and bimetallic element 26. The receptacle is snugly positioned between walls 28 provided in the hollow base and has a forwardly and downwardly bent resilient wall 29 which engages a transverse wall 30 in the hollow base to snap same into place and detachably secure said receptacle within said base. The top of the receptacle 27 has opposite inwardly and downwardly inclined flanges 31 which extend over a portion of the top of the receptacle to support the cigarette or cigar which is inserted through the opening 23 in the side wall. The ashes of the cigarette or cigar fall into the receptacle 27. The bottom of the hollow base may have a cover 32 with an opening 33 of sufficient size to permit the receptacle 27 to be detached from the base and removed therefrom for emptying the ashes therein.

The operation of our device should be apparent from the foregoing but briefly stated it is as follows:

The figurine 12 may be that of a small girl, while the figurine 18 may be that of a small boy. In normal position the two figurines are in spaced apart substantially vertical positions shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and in full lines in Fig. 6. When a burning cigarette or cigar is inserted in the opening 23 and rests on the flanges 31 of the receptacle, the heat therefrom in a matter of a few seconds, will cause the bimetallic actuating element 26 to bow downwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, thereby allowing the movable member 15 to pivot slowly downwardly, simultaneously pivotally moving the figurine 18 gradually toward the figurine 12, to the dotted line position of Fig. 6. In this inclined position of the figurine 18, the face and mouth of said male figurine engages or comes into close proximity with the face of the stationary girl figurine 12 to give the illusion of kissing. This position will be maintained as long as the cigarette or cigar remains burning keeping the bimetallic element 26 remaining in the downwardly bowed position. When the cigar or cigarette has become extinguished or is removed from the flanges of the receptacle, the bimetallic element 26 will cool and after a very short interval of time, will return to its fully horizontal position. simultaneously pivoting the movable member to its up position with the male figurine in a substantially vertical position.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A novelty and amusement device including a base, a stationary figure mounted on said base, another figure pivotally mounted on said base in proximity to said stationary figure, heat responsive means supported by said base and operatively associated with said pivotally mounted figure, supporting means on said base under said heat responsive means for removably supporting a lighted cigarette, cigar or the like, under said heat responsive means to heat same and actuate said heat responsive means and cause said pivotally mounted figure to pivot with respect to said stationary figure so that the faces of said figures are in juxtaposition.

2. A novelty and amusement device including a base, a stationary female figure mounted on said base, a male figure pivotally mounted on said base in proximity to said stationary figure, heat responsive means supported 3 by said base and operatively associated with said pivotally mounted male figure, supporting means on said base under said heat responsive means for removably supporting a lighted cigarette, cigar or the like under said heat responsive means to heat same and actuate said heat responsive means and cause said pivotally mounted male figure to pivot towards said stationary female figure so that the faces of said figures are in juxtaposition to simulate kissing.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bowman June 4, 1912 Rettich Oct. 8, 1935 Grantham June 3, 1941 Whitney et al. Aug. 14, 1945 

